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###### Department of Agriculture

###### Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

          - [Docket No. APHIS-2007-0027] 

# AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. 

# ACTION:

Notice.

# SUMMARY:

                        We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment for a proposed controlled field release of genetically engineered clones of                         *Eucalyptus*                         hybrids. The purpose of this release is to continue research on two constructs that confer cold-tolerance from a previously approved notification and test the efficacy of a third, claimed as confidential business information. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.                     

# DATES:

We will consider all comments received on or before May 21, 2007. 

# ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods: 
      -  Federal eRulemaking Portal:                          Go to                          http://www.regulations.gov,                          select “Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service” from the agency drop-down menu, and then click “Submit.” In the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0027 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including instruction for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through the site's “User Tips” link.                     
      -  Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:                          Please send four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0027, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0027.                     

*Reading Room:*                         You may read the environmental assessment (EA) and any comments we receive on this docket in our reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before coming. The EA is available on the Internet at                         *http://www.aphis.usda.gov/​brs/​aphisdocs/​06_​325111r_​ea.pdf.*

*Other Information:*                         Additional information about APHIS and its programs is available on the Internet at                         *http://www.aphis.usda.gov.*

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Dr. Levis Handley, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-5721. To obtain copies of the environmental assessment, contact Ms. Cynthia Eck at (301) 734-0667; e-mail:                         *cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov.*

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The regulations in 7 CFR part 340, “Introduction of Organisms and Products Altered or Produced Through Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests or Which There Is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests,” regulate, among other things, the introduction (importation, interstate movement, or release into the environment) of organisms and products altered or produced through genetic engineering that are plant pests or that there is reason to believe are plant pests. Such genetically engineered organisms and products are considered “regulated articles.” A permit must be obtained or a notification acknowledged before a regulated article may be introduced. The regulations set forth the permit application requirements and the notification procedures for the importation, interstate movement, or release in the environment of a regulated article. 

                    On November 21, 2006, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) received a permit application (APHIS No. 06-325-111r) from ArborGen, LLC, in Summerville, SC, for a controlled field release of genetically engineered                     *Eucalyptus*                     hybrids. Under this permit, trees planted under a previously approved notification (05-256-03n) would be allowed to flower.                 

                    Permit application 06-325-111r describes                     *Eucalyptus*                     trees engineered with three constructs. Two of these constructs are intended to confer cold tolerance and the third genetic construct is claimed as confidential business information (CBI). In addition, the trees have been engineered with a selectable marker gene, also claimed as CBI. These DNA sequences were introduced into                     *Eucalyptus*                     trees using disarmed                     *Agrobacterium tumefaciens.*                     The subject                     *Eucalyptus*                     trees are considered regulated articles under the regulations in 7 CFR part 340 because they were created using donor sequences from plant pests.                 

                    To provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and analysis of any potential environmental impacts and plant pest risks associated with the proposed release of these                     *Eucalyptus*                     trees, an environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared. The EA was prepared in accordance with (1) The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321*et seq.*), (2) regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), (3) USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS' NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).                 

                    The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room. (Instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the reading room are provided under the heading                     **ADDRESSES**                     at the beginning of this notice.) In addition, copies may be obtained by calling or writing to the individuals listed under                     **FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT**                    .                 

Authority:7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3. 

      ( print page 19877)    
Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of April 2007. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. 

 [FR Doc. E7-7637 Filed 4-19-07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410-34-P